If God is good, how could He be so capricious as to wipe out all those innocent people in the Flood
The Bible tells us that mankind was created by God as a special being, made in God's image, to live according to the rules which God has laid down. When mankind breaks those rules judgment follows. Why? Because God, as a result of His holiness and justice, has decreed to punish the wicked and disobedient. Sometimes this punishment is evident to all in this life, but the ultimate punishment awaits the Day of Judgment. 'And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment' (Hebrew 9:27). This judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15. In the case of those living on earth in Noah's day, God adjudged that their deeds were such as to necessitate the penalty which He imposed.
John Calvin commented, 'It [the whole earth] was not overwhelmed with a deluge of waters till it had first been immersed in the pollution of wickedness...that wickedness was too deeply seated in their hearts, to leave any hope of repentance.'
This objection does not take time to consider the biblical context of the Flood or to think about one’s own presuppositions. For example, atheists have no basis with which to question the character of God, given that they have no objective moral foundation on which to do so. Morality for an atheist is just a matter of opinion. It is also important to remember that, when atheists read the text of Scripture, they do not believe that God exists or that He reveals Himself to people. The people in the biblical narrative then are judged by the atheists as if God has not revealed Himself. Ultimately, atheists are not critiquing what the Bible says, but rather they are critiquing a misrepresentation of the biblical event. 2
1. https://creation.com/noahs-flood-why
2. https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/11/21/purpose-of-the-flood/
The Bible tells us that mankind was created by God as a special being, made in God's image, to live according to the rules which God has laid down. When mankind breaks those rules judgment follows. Why? Because God, as a result of His holiness and justice, has decreed to punish the wicked and disobedient. Sometimes this punishment is evident to all in this life, but the ultimate punishment awaits the Day of Judgment. 'And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment' (Hebrew 9:27). This judgment is described in Revelation 20:11-15. In the case of those living on earth in Noah's day, God adjudged that their deeds were such as to necessitate the penalty which He imposed.
John Calvin commented, 'It [the whole earth] was not overwhelmed with a deluge of waters till it had first been immersed in the pollution of wickedness...that wickedness was too deeply seated in their hearts, to leave any hope of repentance.'
This objection does not take time to consider the biblical context of the Flood or to think about one’s own presuppositions. For example, atheists have no basis with which to question the character of God, given that they have no objective moral foundation on which to do so. Morality for an atheist is just a matter of opinion. It is also important to remember that, when atheists read the text of Scripture, they do not believe that God exists or that He reveals Himself to people. The people in the biblical narrative then are judged by the atheists as if God has not revealed Himself. Ultimately, atheists are not critiquing what the Bible says, but rather they are critiquing a misrepresentation of the biblical event. 2
1. https://creation.com/noahs-flood-why
2. https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/simon-turpin/2016/11/21/purpose-of-the-flood/
